Odaiba Wonders
by JefferyLooper
Summary: A series of oneshots featuring two teens from Odaiba, who apart from secrets of the digital world share something more. This is a collection of Daikeru short stories. Summary at the beginning of each chapter.
1. Chapter 1 - Things Unknown

Here's the first chapter. Currently there's a few more chapters planned. Hope you guys enjoy it.

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 **1 – Things Unknown**

Summary: _Takeru and Daisuke have grown closer after Malomyotismon, and perhaps there's a reason why they enjoy each other's company so much._

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There are a lot of things Motomiya Daisuke doesn't know, but chief among those is the way he acts sometimes. Reason has never been an important part of his personality; rather he acts on impulse mostly, and it is only after the act that his backwards thinking kicks in, as he begins contemplating the logic behind his actions. But the thing is that half of the time, he fails to come up with a good explanation for himself, let alone others.

One would think this is problematic considering that he's the leader of his group of digidestined, but somehow the others have all been so willing to listen to and follow him. Miyako did challenge him sometimes, but as time passed by it rarely happened. Hikari and Ken are always passive listeners, and it's probably Iori's age that prevented him from being anywhere close to an acknowledged leader. And then there's Takeru, who would occasionally argue with him and question his decisions, but in the end would always be reasonable. The honest truth is that Daisuke actually enjoyed their little brawls back in the day.

He also sort of misses it. Well, it's more like he really, really misses it, for it's usually his and Takeru's fights that he comes back to every time he reminisces about their adventures. With Malomyotismon gone the digital world crisis officially came to an end, and at this current stage in Daisuke's life the real adventure lies in his upcoming final year in primary school and what he needs to prepare for as he advances to secondary school.

"Well, there's still an entire summer vacation for me to think about that," Daisuke murmurs, staring blankly through the shimmering windows. The leaves outside shake under the lazy summer breeze.

"Dai, what did you say?" Takeru asks, playfully bumping into Daisuke's shoulder.

"Huh?"

"Something tells me you're already deep in the heart of the summer," Takeru laughs.

"No! I was…I was just…thinking about stuff." And this is true. It's been a couple of months since the final battle. The fewer trips they make to digital world, the more Daisuke thinks about their past adventures in class. Spacing out has become his favorite hobby.

Takeru squints in doubt. "Really? The great Dai is actually –"

"Don't," Daisuke interrupts. "I know I seem thick to you guys sometimes but a lot goes on in there!" He points towards his head, and pushes Takeru's arm away. Before Takeru can come up with a response he continues, "and when did you start calling me Dai?"

"I don't know. It just sounds nice." Takeru looks away, the hint of a blush forming, though Daisuke seems to be his usual oblivious self.

"But nobody calls me that," he decides, wondering where this little shortened version of his name came from.

"Well, that's even better. Only I get to call you that."

"What do you mean?" Daisuke asks, confused. Takeru remains reluctant to look directly at his friend.

"Well, it's like a special thing between us." Takeru pauses for a moment. "But only if you let me call you that, okay?"

There's a weird stirring inside of Daisuke as soon as he heard the word "special". It only adds to the question he asks himself repeatedly these days. He remembers asking himself that after Malomyotismon, but a couple of weeks ago Takeru, out of nowhere, asked him about the same thing, and since then he hasn't been able to let it go. The group was having lunch at the cafeteria. Miyako and Hikari were cracking up about some girly stuff, and Iori was reading a book. It was then Takeru asked him that million-dollar question, in a voice not so loud everyone could hear, and not as quiet as a private whisper.

"Hey, during our final battle, you know, with Malomyotismon, is there any particular reason why you went into my illusion to break me out?" He stared with a peculiar expression.

He added, "you know, instead of Ken? Instead of the others?" Part of Daisuke felt weird; it was a feeling he couldn't quite place, one that he hadn't felt before. He found it coincidental that the two of them would think of the same question, but there was another part of him that wasn't as surprised, that always knew somehow.

It's an unusual kind of mutual knowing between the two that has sprouted unexpectedly rapidly over the last couple of months, especially after the perpetually nice Hikari finally scolding Daisuke for his incessant display of affection for her and him declaring that he wouldn't do anything like that anymore.

And so the two of them grew close. It's funny how the dynamics shifted, because now they are so close that Daisuke sometimes forgets themselves as a group. The thing is, the older digidestined have always been like mentors to him, whereas the others in the group, except Ken, are never that close to him to begin with. And the thing with Ken is that he does have his own circle of friends with markedly different ambitions in life. He still calls Daisuke from time to time but it's undeniable that they have grown apart.

With Takeru it's very much different. It feels to him that they've already transcended whatever relationship he has ever had. They do everything together, even for things they don't have to do together. Actually, now that he thinks about it, this inter-dependence is something that feels so natural he doesn't even question it. But thinking back, he's astonished by how far they've gone from the rivals they once were.

And it is when all these come together that makes this "special thing" that Takeru speaks of all the more intriguing, Daisuke thinks.

"I'm not going to not let you call me anything you want to call me," Daisuke answers, and what instantly follows is the ringing of the bell which signals the end of today's classes.

When Takeru's still in a daze trying to process things, Daisuke continues cheerfully, "You can call me Dai."

A smile blossoms across Takeru's face, but soon it's replaced by a concerning look. "You are aware that I asked you that like, five minutes ago, right?"

Daisuke just grins, trying to ignore that.

"Hmmm, you've been zoning out a lot lately," Takeru adds. It concerns him because it's the same kind of look his mother gives him whenever she's racing against a deadline and doesn't care what he has to say. It makes him feel…uneasy.

"Well, as I said, there's stuff to think about."

"What's this _stuff_ that you speak of so highly?" Takeru presses, wanting to get as much out of his pal as possible.

"Well…"

"Oh come on, don't make me have to bother you endlessly until you give me what I want." Daisuke knows better than anyone that the mild-tempered blond can be endlessly annoying if he sets his mind to getting an answer out of you.

"I guess I'll just tell you," Daisuke yields, taking a deep breath to compose himself as he prepares to spill out what's been on his mind for months.

"That question, it still bothers me. But, I don't think I know why."

"What question?" Takeru inquires genuinely, though the passage of mere seconds eclipses his initial uncertainty. Despite Daisuke's trademark cluelessness among the group, he's sure that Takeru's aware of what is being discussed here. And judging by Takeru's expression he has come to the conclusion that this is a question that still lingers between them in some significant way.

"Come on." Takeru pats Daisuke on the back and playfully drags him towards the exit of the classroom. "Let's get out of here."

Hikari seems to have realized something is off, but she refrains from asking, and looks on as the two disappear into the hallway where heaps of students can't wait to escape the hell that is school.

It's four o'clock, Friday afternoon so there's a kind of peace that penetrates the crowd as kids disperse into different directions and destinations. Some may be heading home while others may have places to be.

The golden sun rays bring warmth, and the soothing winds bring comfort, as the two boys race till their bodies become part of the tranquility. Exhausted, they find Odaiba Beach a perfect place to relax. For a moment human dialogue grows silent, as surrounding sounds take over. There's a disorganized symphony of chirping birds, ocean waves and vehicles on one hand and the joy of building sandcastles and digging trenches on the other. For a moment they are drenched in the relief that another week's over and summer vacation will soon set in. For a moment there's nothing on their minds but the scenery in front of them. But only for a moment.

"I just felt like I had to, you know. Come after you." Daisuke looks determined as he peaks.

"Sorry. Guess I was just curious. But it seems you yourself don't seem to know."

Daisuke nods, his hands continuing to work on fortifying the castle's defenses against the invasive waves.

"I don't know. I guess I asked because part of me was surprised by why you didn't go for Ken, or Hikari for that matter."

"Well, you know me," says Daisuke sheepishly. "I don't always think before I act."

"Yeah, I guess," says Takeru, his eyes focusing on the harbor and the passing ships. If Takeru isn't lying to himself, he will have to admit that it's a disappointing answer. He just wants to know why. For him, his friend choosing to come to _his_ rescue at that time was the reason why he started hanging out with him and getting to know the real Daisuke. The two unforeseeable things were that first, the boy really grew on him, and he began to enjoy spending time with him more than with any other person, and that second, this feeling seemed to be reciprocated. Somehow he just feels at ease when he's with the boy, and gradually he's started to think of Daisuke as his best friend. And there are things that he tells Daisuke but keeps from Hikari.

"Hey Dai."

"Yes?" Daisuke turns back to Takeru with a thoughtful smile.

"Remember that first day we met? Takeru asks. "And how you asked about Hikari and me after school?"

Daisuke becomes visibly embarrassed. "Well, you did catch my attention on that football field, that morning. It was either you or that stupid hat you used to wear."

"Weren't you jealous of me or something? You know, like that time on August first when you thought Hikari and I were going on a date?"

Daisuke is surprised by how well his friend remembers those specific moments. The thing is he does too. Takeru's question triggers something in him that prompts him to look further back into those memories. Perhaps it's because of this that he doesn't think before choosing his next words, which he regrets saying immediately.

"More like jealous of Hikari," he blurts out. Ashamed, his gaze shifts to the squishy sandcastles, and he refuses to look back up to see Takeru's reaction. Wishful thinking tells him that this is the perfect time for Takeru to temporarily zone out.

But Takeru hears every single word, and the shocking nature of this revelation cripples and silences him, as he is rendered completely unable to respond. If he hears that right, all this time he's been wrong, about pretty much everything. He's always thought that their past rivalry was a direct consequence of Daisuke's jealousy of him, because he thought Hikari and him were a thing.

Soaked in his own disquiet, Daisuke remains reluctant to even catch a glimpse of Takeru. Having said what he did, he wonders if this changes things. He doesn't want things to change, because he loves his life right now. The simultaneously courageous and stupid leader isn't what he enjoyed being; it's being close to Takeru that brings him happiness, and he can't lie to himself about that: in spite of how he loathes school with a passion, every morning what motivates him to get up is thinking that Takeru will be there too.

Daisuke's still lost inside his thoughts as a shadow looms over his crushed castle.

Takeru has gotten closer. "I wish you could've told me sooner."

Daisuke looks up, and is welcomed by his friend's radiant smile. Before he can respond, however, the boy has gotten even closer. Then, a gentle kiss on his right cheek. It's short, quick, and either barely noticeable by passers-by or easily dismissed as child's play. It's nevertheless enough to send Daisuke into a state of complete dumbfoundedness.

When Takeru wraps his arm around his friend and pulls him closer for a friendly hug, Daisuke quietly obliges and eases into the intimacy of the soft skin and relaxes. No words are exchanged but an occasional knowing glance between them seems to reveal everything that needs to be known.

"How long?" Daisuke asks.

"Probably since the first few months," Takeru answers firmly. "Though admittedly your relentless advances at Hikari did put me off a little."

Daisuke grins. "That was my defense mechanism!"

"More like the new bearer of the crest of courage was afraid," Takeru says half-jokingly, his hand squeezing his friend's.

"Ouch!" Daisuke jumps. "Well, it's not like you did any better."

"I didn't need to justify what I felt by telling you. I just enjoyed being around, and the group was in action, like every single day, and that was enough for me. Being with people I liked." But the truth is that Takeru was afraid too. He used to think about how awkward it would be if he opened up entirely, especially with this Daisuke-Takeru rivalry thing going on.

"You mean me," Daisuke corrects his friend, laughing out loud as he lies down on the sand.

Takeru blushes. "Well, you…you're one of those people."

"Okay…" Daisuke says, scheming to embarrass his friend further. "Well, in that case, it's unhealthy that you're spending so much time with only one of your favorite people. In my opinion, your time should be equally distributed among them. Like Iori, your jogress partner, should take Mondays, and Hikari, your childhood close friend, should take Tues –"

"All right, all right. You're my favorite person. You win." It's cute when Takeru delightfully concedes, Daisuke concludes.

"I always do," he smiles, proud that he has his friend bending under his will. "Anyway, your house or mine?" Needless to say, both of them realize it's a perfect day for a sleepover.

"Mine," Takeru says. "It's closer." Daisuke nods in agreement.

On the journey there, they run into Miyako, who gets annoyed by their constant shoving.

"You guys fighting again?" She frowns.

"No," they say in unison, laughing it off but keeping their hands on each other.

Miyako responds doubtfully, "we're supposed to be a team. You guys should start learning to listen to each other."

Apparently, the fact that Miyako's in a different form and the reduced frequency of their trips to the digital world stop her from realizing how completely different the two's relationship is at this point. Of course, if she had been on the beach fifteen minutes ago, that might also have helped.

"Miyako, Dai and I are _not_ fighting," Takeru says, getting serious. Seeing that Miyako still doesn't seem to believe them, however, he sighs, ready to give up and just leave things be. He wonders what they can do to convince her.

Then, as if just having read his mind, and with a dangerous smirk on his face, Daisuke does the unthinkable. He leans forward and places his lips in a brief encounter with Takeru's face.

Miyako's eyes grow bigger than they have ever been before, and for a second or two she's completely frozen. Daisuke begins to laugh uncontrollably after they say their goodbyes and Miyako goes into her family's store.

Once in the elevator, Takeru's burning stare becomes obvious to an ecstatic Daisuke, but he just shrugs, "I know, I know."

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Please comment/review! I hope you enjoyed the story. This is my first attempt at Digimon fanfic. Do forgive me for errors with the language...I thought I'd let you all know that English is _not_ my native language.


	2. Chapter 2 - Spend the Night

**2 – Spend the Night**

Summary: _Takeru comes up with the idea to challenge Daisuke in a game of playing nice, and it leads to an unexpected evening._

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"Man, I can't figure this out." Daisuke stretches with a yawn. "A little help here? Takeru?" He gestures towards his math homework.

I sigh. It's just like Daisuke to always give up before even trying. Doesn't he know that he'll never learn this way?

"No," I reject him firmly, putting on a pair of determined eyes to let him know I'm serious.

He observes me for a few seconds, and then sighs too. Defeated, he dramatically falls back on my bed, causing a thud as the wood under my mattress squeaks on account of the impact.

"Would you watch it?" I warn. "You could've fallen on a sharp pencil or something and gotten hurt real bad."

"You're not my mom." He shoots me a penetrating stare, though to tell truth, that never really scares me. That's because I'm used to an angry Daisuke. He's either infuriated, angry or at least slightly mad in front of me, and this has gone on for pretty much the whole time we've known each other. One thing's weird though: we always end up hanging out, the two of us, especially after Ken moved away to the America to study. Sometimes it pains me that I'm just a substitute that ticks him off constantly.

"Whatever," I say. If there's anything I've learnt in the three years I've known Daisuke, it is that backing off is _always_ a better option than starting an argument with him.

"So…I might have a date with Hikari this weekend," he announces, obviously watching for my reaction.

"It's her birthday this weekend, my brown-haired friend. We're all going to Tai's house for the party. Same as the last year. Remember?" God, I almost feel a little bit embarrassed myself when I try to look at Daisuke. This is so like him – so hilarious that he just embarrasses him without even trying.

"Ahhh…well, I mean, next weekend," he blushes. "Of course I know about this Saturday. I…I was just messing with you, you know."

Try as I may, the best I can do is not to leave a smartass remark that will put him in utter shame, but there's no way in hell I can contain my laughter. His reaction is golden – a bit shocked but definitely still trying to wiggle his way out of the situation.

"I only said that, 'cos I want to see if you know Hikari well enough to remember her birthday." Daisuke's not a timid guy, and the way he looks now is probably the closest it'll ever get. Heck, it's even cute somewhat…though I probably shouldn't have thought that.

I burst out laughing just like a little kid, which seems to piss Daisuke off completely.

"There's nothing you can do to prove me wrong," he says solemnly. Damn it, it's still so funny my ribs feel like they can crack any moment. How is he still refusing to surrender?

"I'm not saying another word, Daisuke," I decide, having composed myself and moved to a chair not far from my bed where he's sitting.

"You just said something!" He cries angrily. God I think he's getting all aggressive again. I hate when he does that, not to mention it feels like his outbursts are almost always directed at me.

"You know what I mean," I reply with a straight face, having completely calmed myself down.

We go back to our math homework and the room becomes a completely silent space for the next few minutes. It's Daisuke who says something again after he nudges me in the arm.

"I really _am_ dating Hikari," he insists.

"No, you're not, Daisuke," I say, turning to face him. "And it doesn't make me think any less of you either."

"I –"

"Although I'm not in any way trying to stop you from dating her either, if it really does happen." Though I don't want that, because something about it just doesn't sit right with me. But of course, this is something I can't say out loud. Who am I to stop him from dating anyone?

"You know what?" I continue. "I have a challenge for you. If you can be friendly with me for the next two hours or so before you head home, I'll buy you a soda tomorrow."

"That would be way too easy," he gloats, apparently interested in my little game. "I'm going to win this and shove it in your face after." Which kind of defeats the purpose of the challenge…but whatever. I'll take as many peaceful moments with him as God is willing to grant me.

"My little Takeru. You cold? Need a blanket? I sure hope I'm not being too rude." He chuckles non-stop as he paces around me.

"No, thank you. And you don't have to overdo it, you know."

"Well, you didn't say I couldn't so…"

"Whatever."

"Whatever, I don't care –" he says, then stops himself. "I mean, I'm going to be as nice as can be, and you're going to be delighted when you lose."

To him this may be an interesting game, but I'm just relieved that he isn't throwing insults at me every other second. I love spending time with Daisuke, but I figure I would love it even more were he to act his "generally nice" self like he does in front of every other digidestined.

We play a bit of video games and watch a bit of television. An hour or so passes and I'm about to suggest something.

"Daisuke, want to eat with me? We can get pizza for dinner, you know, before you head home. My mom's not coming home today. She's working on a story and spending a night in Chiba."

"So, you're inviting me for dinner?" Daisuke smirks. "Just the two of us? Like a date?"

"Yeah," I play along, "though I wonder if any two friends having dinner qualifies as a date. But okay." This feels quite exciting, and I mentally praise myself for coming up with this "challenge".

"The nice Daisuke is growing on me anyways," I add. "You deserve this meal."

"You're buying too?"

I hold out a couple of bills. "Well, technically my mom is buying." We both laugh.

I help him up from the bed where he's been lying so we can take a look at the menu I've kept in one of my drawers. When our hands entwine in a firm grip, there's a comforting peace. Suddenly my heart feels heavier, and warmth spreads through my body. I don't want to let go, and I want him to not to want to as well. But soon my reasonable self takes over, as I gradually loosen my grip on him.

"Gonna use the washroom," Daisuke announces abruptly, "be right back," as he vanishes into the corridor like a bolt out of the blue. The urgency startles me, but I can't quite pinpoint what's off.

When he's back, he's certainly returned to his normal self.

"Need to call my parents," he tells me.

"Sure." I hand him the phone. This time, he makes sure our hands don't meet, and it's obvious because we share a brief but knowing glance. I turn back to study the menu as he speaks to his parents.

There's a noticeable silence during the entirety of dinner. Even the sounds of utensils and chewing feel drowned out by the sounds coming from the TV. I wonder why there's nothing to talk about, and I'm saddened by this discernable deficiency of conversation. There's a part of me that wants to start something, but decide not to after carefully weighing my options.

 _Is dinner nice?_ Sounds contrived.

 _Do you like the pizza or the pasta better?_ Completely pointless.

As I dig deeper into my thoughts, it's come to my attention that it's often Daisuke that finds something random to say, that somehow ultimately leads us to some sort of meaningful exchange. It's either that or he's prone to initiate some sort of conflict and then we end up exchanging blows.

But even deafening, heated arguments, which we've had plenty back in the day, are better than this disturbing silence. Something just feels wrong.

* * *

Another hour passes and the silence drags on. It's getting late and I hate to see this night end like this, with Daisuke leaving without a word and me twisting and turning in bed trying to figure out what the hell has gone wrong. But there's honestly not much I can do, for the more time goes by, the more I realize that I've been always been the passive party in our conversations. While I may be a good enough conversation sustainer, starting a conversation, especially with Daisuke, will probably always be hard for me. And the way he is right now, it's even harder.

Frustrated, I decide to take a break. "I'm taking a bath, Daisuke." That leaves him alone on the coach, his eyes still fixated on the television, which doesn't seem to be showing anything interesting.

I dare not turn and look at him as I reenter the corridor after gathering some stuff from my room. It's not natural to look at where he's sitting, not on my way to the bathroom. There's no other reason for me to look that way except to look at him, and I can't for the life of me risk another awkward moment with Daisuke, not when we've already had so many for the past few hours.

But as I turn the shower on and water splashes all over me, something else begins to worry me…

What if he leaves? If he too is sensing the discomfort between us, now would be the perfect window for him to leave, with me having entered the bathroom for just a minute or two.

I quicken my actions and it suddenly feels like I'm on turbo mode. The next few minutes are a blur; all I know is that as I step into the corridor, it feels like I've just had the quickest bath ever.

Needless to say, the first thing I do is get to the living room. When I see that Daisuke hasn't moved at all, a sense of relief washes over me.

Upon hearing my footsteps, he swivels around and stares at me in wonder.

"What's up with the hair?" he asks.

Of course. I rushed out in such hurry that I didn't even bother to comb or dry my hair. I don't even know what it looks like right now.

"It's messy, but I like it," he continues, smiling. "Sorry, by the way. I ran out of nice things to say." God, that is one killer smile. All my worries melt away at that instant.

I force a smile, not sure if he can read my mind, but the truth is I'm still concerned about how my mood depends on his so much. It is almost unhealthy, but it's a connection that I've been unable to shake off despite his usual animosity towards me.

"There's nothing on TV," Daisuke complains. "Let's go to your room and see if there's other stuff to do." I nod and we enter my room. It's a hot summer day and so I close the door and switch the air conditioner on.

Lying on my bed, I'm actually thinking about nothing at all. It would probably surprise Daisuke if he could see into my head. Just when he's waiting for me to come up with stuff for us to do together, I'm just relaxing, enjoying this beautiful moment of truce between us, enjoying the nice-Daisuke act, and sadly, dreading the near future in which our so-called rivalry surfaces again.

But Daisuke remains still, and quiet. From where I am, it feels like he's just looking around, soaking in the room and little items around him.

Does that basketball catch his attention? Probably doesn't because football's always been his thing as much as basketball hasn't. Then there's a rather detailed map of the Milky Way pinned on the wall. That came from a time when I suddenly got obsessed with stars and all that outer-space stuff. It was a about year ago, I guess. And I assume that photo of the original digidestined must still catch his attention, though he probably has seen it many times before. It's weird how he never asked me about it – not only about the picture, I mean; he also never asked me about our first adventure. Since I'm sure that he knows pretty much everything, he must've gotten all his stories from someone else. Hikari, probably.

But why doesn't he just ask me? He knows me well, and he knows me well enough to know that I'll be patient enough and glad to share my side of the stories. I'm sure it would also bring us closer, and perhaps he would stop with all that hostility, and –

And where exactly am I going with this? This train of thought has gone too far. The thing about Daisuke, it's that he's actually never easy to read. And for me, I've always felt that it's even harder. It's because he does act somewhat differently in front of me. I used to think it's the rivalry thing, but with time, I know it's probably more than that. And I know I haven't the courage to ask, so there's that. These days, my goal when it comes to him is that I try to get as many pleasant minutes with him as possible. This game of playing nice seems to have worked well so far; a naive part of me wishes the game could go on forever…if only he was really that dim-witted.

"So," Daisuke begins, bringing me out of my sea of thoughts, "would you like a bedtime story, my little friend?"

I beam at him, and my eyes must have just lit up. The game is on.

"Sure."

"Okay…" It looks like he's conjuring up something on the spot. "Once upon a time, there was a fair-haired boy who lived in a castle." He looks at me, smiles, and I smile back. "Far, far away from the evil in the northern woods. But one day, monsters wake up in the forest. Their whines grow louder, and soon they become battle cries, as they declare war on the prince and the kingdom, and charge towards the castle, and…hmmm –"

"And the boy was…the boy was actually the prince. So the monsters attacked the castle in hopes of taking the entire kingdom." I can't help but laugh a little at Daisuke's simplistic fairy tale, but he's still too invested to notice anything else.

"But, well, before they could murder the boy prince in his sleep, a knight arrived just in time. He slayed all the ugly monsters and the kingdom was safe. The king praised the knight's great courage and declared him a royal knight, and, well, the prince himself…was actually, ah, and –"

"And the end?" I intervene, still laughing.

"Well, yeah," Daisuke says. "If you say so."

"Am I mistaken, or are you getting grumpy?"

"No." He shook his head. "I'm getting nice, and nicer."

"Daisuke, to be honest," I burn my stare into him just for dramatic effect, "that, might just be the best fairy tale I've ever heard in my entire life."

Narrowing his eyes, Daisuke says, "well, you are the best listener in the history of listeners." Making sure our eyes meet, he then says, "still nicer. You're not winning, Takeru."

Amid my laughter, a yawn escapes me. I take a look at the clock. It's half past eleven. No wonder tiredness is slowly taking hold.

"Want me to turn off the lights, Takeru?" God. The more his nice-guy act goes on, the more I pray that it goes on forever.

I nod, and a second later, the lights are off. In the dark, the silhouette of Daisuke is equally comforting, but I suddenly remember something. "You should get home now, Daisuke. If you go now, you can still make it home before midnight."

"Takeru," he whispers softly, as if afraid to wake someone. He also pauses for a few seconds before saying his next words. "That's not very nice."

"Ar…well, would you like me to walk you home?" I try to be as sincere as possible to keep up in this little game of ours.

"But Takeru," he says, this time his voice even softer, "that's not very nice."

"What do you want me to –" I stop myself mid-sentence. So he doesn't want to walk home alone, doesn't want me to walk him home, so…should I call his parents? Jun? What other option is there? It feels like he doesn't want to go home _at all_ , but –

But how could I be so dumb? I sure hope I'm not mistaken, but is he expressing a desire to…

"Spend the night?" I ask, trying to say it without emotion but failing. I can't lie. I can't contain my excitement, and even the most dim-witted guy should smell desire from that request, though if he is in that same state of curiosity and excitedness, can he detect what I'm feeling right now? But it doesn't matter. What's said is said and all that's left is an answer.

"Thanks, Takeru. That's nice." There's no way to tell how he feels if I can't see him in the dark, but perhaps that's for the best, because I don't want my reaction seen either.

So that's it. The excitement of our first sleepover. Of my first sleepover. I wonder if it's his first, too. Or…or was it with Ken?

"Wait, I'll get you a mattress and blank –" But before I can finish I feel a weight on my bed, as I'm forced to give up the outer half of the bed to a suddenly commanding Daisuke. Without a word he lies down beside me. I stare at the ceiling; slowly as I adjust to the darkness I begin to see more. Being the coward that I am, I avoid stealing glances from him. Well, it's a good thing my bed is more than big enough for the two of us.

"Goodnight," Daisuke suddenly says, then goes silent again.

"Goodnight." I think for a few seconds, before adding, "thanks for being nice. I appreciate it."

From the corner of my eye, his lips may, or may not have curved into a smile. I don't know anymore; it's been kind of a crazy, unpredictable day.

Heavy breaths. Not snores, but heavy breaths. I'm not sure if it's from him or from me, that's how confused I am. Perhaps that's because I've just come from a nightmare which I completely forgot about apart from its ferocity. I'm sweating all over, and with Daisuke beside me, I'm sweating in places that probably haven't sweated before. What's worse, I know I can't go back to sleep any time soon, but nor can I leave the bed without waking him.

So I'm trapped here, it seems, in the intricacies of thoughts and the constant object of those thoughts right beside me. I've often thought about us, how we feel about each other, but I've never felt to the extent that I gather up the courage to actually act, to perhaps ask important questions that will, well, change things.

Yes, it's usually late at night when I admit to myself that I probably feel more towards Daisuke than I should as a friend, even a best friend. It's not about his company, his friendship that I want. It does sound selfish, but friendship alone doesn't satisfy me. How do I know? Well, because even though we are friends, it keeps me twisting and turning at night, thinking what more there could be. Even though he's been nice to me all evening, I'm still discontent. What more is there, I often wonder. I don't know, but I just know that I want more, as selfish as that sounds.

I turn and steal a look at him. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps. I love how I'm getting an exclusive view of this, though at the same time I feel bad about perving on my friend. Almost uncontrollably and without warning, my left hand reaches out. I let his loose T-shirt slide slightly upwards, as the street lights through the blinds make the skin on his abdomen glisten. I can just admire this all night, but my hand does have a mind of its own. Running circles with my fingers on his tummy sends tingly sensations through my body. This is a dangerously delicious thing that I'm doing, and I'm not sure if I can bear the consequences, but I doubt my fingers can stop. Going up my hand explores his chest, which is warmer than ever. He moves a little, which scares me, but it turns out it's his lungs pushing against his ribs.

Up and down, up and down, there's a rhythm that I gradually get used to. And the smoothness of his skin, it's just heavenly. It is at this moment when I decide to throw all morals out the window. This exhilarating exploration is going to continue. Returning to his abdomen, I try to keep my hand still to feel the warmth that emits so effortlessly from his body. Daisuke's always been a warm person to be around, that's for sure.

The next few seconds have me questioning myself whether I should go further. To risk losing someone I value so much? To risk…everything? But the heat of the moment has the upper hand, as it often does, and in one swift movement, I push my hand further down, stopping at the waist. Now the tip of my index finger can clearly feel the fabric of the waistband. I don't need to emphasize enough that this represents a boundary, one that's as physical as it is metaphorical. If anything before can be dismissed as best friends goofing around, anything after can't. And I know this is where I'll be stuck.

In the matter of a few seconds, though, I go from being stuck to being completely numb and frozen.

"What are you doing?" Daisuke asks, in a tone which I can't quite place.

"I don't know." My hand stays where it has been. The thing is, I can't really move. I'm actually surprised that I could speak.

All this time. All these years. All these unknown feelings, all this fear bottled up inside of me. It's led to this very moment.

"It feels good…when I touch you." It's probably the bravest thing I've ever said.

I keep waiting for that face of disgust, a punch, or a shove at least, but it never comes. I can't see clearly what's on Daisuke's face, but I do see him getting closer. I take a heavy breath, and another, and another, and he just stays there, close enough till his warm breath touches my noise. And then he closes the distance between us, and the next few seconds are the best thing ever. His soft lips. The exchange of tongues. Raw passion and impulsive instinct. We may be inexperienced, but it doesn't prevent us from trying so hard to close any remaining distance between us, and removing our shirts feels like the next natural thing to do. When our chests meet, it's electricity, and it's the satisfaction that I've yearned for, for such a long time.

* * *

Even when the sun tries to force my eyes open, I refuse. What if it's all been a dream? I need to drown in this fantasy for a little while longer before facing reality.

"Hey," a voice calls out to me.

I open my eyes immediately.

And there he is.

One look into his eyes, and I know that from this moment on what's between us can only get better.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed chapter, because I sure enjoyed writing it. Next chapter's gonna be a bit different, a bit lighter, and from Daisuke's POV.


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